Mysterious Disease Discovered Locally at Penn

February 8, 2013

CBS3 reports on an autoimmune neurological condition called Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. "Nobody knew about the condition," said Josep Dalmau, MD, PhD, professor of Neurology. He first discovered the disease there in 2007. "A frequent mistake is to think that the patient has a primary psychiatric disorder. There are many patients that I still think that they are misdiagnosed," said Dalmau. Two patients are profiled in the story. Susannah and Emily were both eventually correctly diagnosed at Penn. Researchers there developed both a spinal fluid test to diagnose the disease, and an immunotherapy regimen to treat it.